judgment should stand affirmed. The costs of this appeal are to be borne by the respondent.

Haynes, C., and Gray, C., concurred.

For the reasons given in the foregoing opinion the order denying a new trial is affirmed, and the cause is remanded with directions to modify the judgment in accordance with this opinion, and as so modified the judgment stands affirmed.

Henshaw, J., McFarland, J., Temple, J.

Hearing in Bank denied.

[S. F. No. 1425. Department Two.-April 28, 1900.]

C. H. HAILE, Respondent, v. LYMAN SMITH, Appellant.

VENDOR AND PURCHASER-PRESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF VENDOR-OUTSTANDING RECORD TITLE-REFUSAL TO COMPLETE PURCHASE-IMPROVEMENTS— EJECTMENT.-Where a vendor had acquired a title by prescription before making a contract of sale, the fact that there remains an outstanding record title in a third person antedating the period of prescription cannot justify the purchaser in retaining the possession acquired under the contract of sale while refusing to pay the unpaid purchase money, upon tender of a deed by the vendor, notwithstanding valuable improvements made by the purchaser upon the land. He cannot keep both the land and the purchase money, and if not satisfied to complete the purchase, and take what title the vendor can give him, he must surrender the possession to the vendor. Whatever cause of action he may have to recover back the purchase money paid, and the value of his improvements, less the rental value of the land, must be the subject of an independent action, and is no defense to an action of ejectment by the vendor. PLEADING VERIFICATION BEFORE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. - A district attorney has general authority to administer and certify oaths, under sections 1028, 4103, and 4118 of the Political Code, and may take and certify the verification of a pleading to be used in the superior court.

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ID. CONSTRUCTION OF CODES-PROVISION NOT EXCLUSIVE, BUT CUMULATIVE.-Section 2012 of the Code of Civil Procedure, providing that "an affidavit to be used before any court, judge, or officer of this state may be taken before any judge or clerk of any court, or any justice of the peace or notary public in this state," is not to be deemed exclusive of the power conferred by the

Political Code upon the district attorney; but the provisions of the two codes are to be deemed cumulative.

ID.-GENERAL AUTHORITY "TO ADMINISTER and Certify OATHS."-Where a general authority is given to an officer "to administer and certify oaths," that authority cannot be limited by judicial construction to particular kinds of oaths, and must be held to extend to the verification of pleadings.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Alameda County. S. P. Hall, Judge.

The facts are stated in the opinion of the court.

N. J. Manson, for Appellant.

A title to be good must be free from litigation and grave doubts, and should consist both of the legal and equitable titles, and should be fairly deducible of record. (Reynolds v. Borel, 86 Cal. 538.) The district attorney could not take a verification to a pleading to be used before the superior court. (Code Civ. Proc., sec. 2012.)

Snook & Church, for Respondent.

A purchaser may be compelled to take a title resting upon a hostile, adverse, and uninterrupted possession under color of title which is continued for a length of time sufficient to bar the rights of any possible adverse claimant. Such a title is a perfect title a fee simple title. (Bicknell v. Comstock, 113 U. S. 149; Walker v. Sedgwick, 8 Cal. 404, 405; Cannon v. Stockmon, 36 Cal. 540; 95 Am. Dec. 205; Gaines v. Jones, 86 Ky. 527; Grant v. Wasson, 6 J. J. Marsh. 618; Wade v. Greenwood, 2 Rob. (Va.) 474; 40 Am. Dec. 759; Bohm v. Fay, 17 Abb. N. C. 175; Tomlinson v. Savage, 6 Ired. Eq. 430.) Such a title is marketable. (Ottinger v. Strasburger, 33 Hun, 466; Shriver v. Shriver, 86 N. Y. 575; Abrams v. Rhoner, 44 Hun, 507.) The defendant cannot retain possession under the contract while refusing to pay the unpaid purchase money, upon the tender of a deed by the vendor. (Worley v. Nethercott, 91 Cal. 517, 518; 25 Am. St. Rep. 209; Rhorer v. Bila, 83 Cal. 54; Gates v. McLean, 70 Cal. 42; Walker v. Sedgwick, 8 Cal. 398; Jackson v. Moncrief, 5 Wend. 26; Marlin v. Willink, 7 Serg. & R. 297; Browning v. Estes, 3 Tex. 462; 49 Am. Dec. 760; Whiteman v. Castlebury, 8

Tex. 441.) The district attorney had authority under the Political Code to take the verification. The grant of the power is a general one. (Winder v. Hendricks, 56 Cal. 465.)

MCFARLAND, J.-Action of ejectment. Judgment went for plaintiff, and defendant appeals from the judgment upon the judgment-roll, which includes a bill of exceptions.

The case was here once before (Haile v. Smith, 113 Cal. 656), but nothing was then decided that is controlling or important in the present appeal. It is averred in the complaint that on September 24, 1891, plaintiff was the owner and in possession of the land here involved; that on said day he and defendant entered into a written contract for the sale of the land by the former to the latter for three hundred and fifty dollars-one hundred dollars to be paid at date of contract, one hundred dollars on January 1, 1892, and one hundred and fifty dollars January 1, 1893, which last payment was afterward extended, by written agreement, to January 1, 1894, and plaintiff was to be relieved from his obligations, and defendant was to forfeit all payments already made if he failed to make any payment within sixty days after its maturity; that under the contract and at its date defendant was given and took possession of the land, and has been in possession ever since; that defendant made the first two payments, but has refused and refuses to make the last payment, although plaintiff has tendered him a good and sufficient deed of conveyance of the land; and that plaintiff has demanded possession of the land, but defendant refuses to comply with said demand and unlawfully withholds possession thereof from plaintiff. The defendant filed an answer and a cross-complaint, and the court originally sustained a demurrer to each; and on the former appeal the judgment for plaintiff was reversed because the court below erroneously sustained these demurrers. The defendant in his pleadings, referring to said contract, had averred that "he has faithfully performed all the agreements therein to be performed by him," and that "before the date of the alleged tender of a deed by plaintiff he had tendered to the plaintiff the full amount of the last payment and demanded the conveyance of the land according to the agreement, but that the plaintiff had refused to comply therewith, and that he had ever since been ready," etc.,

CXXVIII. CAL.-27

to do so; and it was merely held that "these allegations presented a defense to the plaintiff's complaint, and raised issues of fact which should have been tried before a judgment could be rendered in the action."

After the return of the remittitur plaintiff filed an answer to the cross-complaint, and the court tried the issues raised by the pleadings. The court found that the plaintiff tendered to defendant a deed of grant, bargain, and sale of the land properly executed, and that defendant refused to accept it, and notified plaintiff that he would not accept such a deed because the title of the plaintiff was not good or satisfactory; and "that at no time has said defendant paid, but that he has failed and refused to pay, the balance of the purchase money and the interest due upon said agreement or any part thereof, or to accept plaintiff's said deed of grant, bargain, and sale." These findings are, beyond doubt, fully sustained by the evidence, except, perhaps, as to some interest. The court further found that at the time of the contract plaintiff was "the owner and seised in fee and possessed and entitled to the possession" of the land here involved; but it further found "that plaintiff's title to said premises consisted of and depended upon the un-' disputed, continuous, absolute and adverse possession of the said premises from the year 1861 until the twenty-fourth day of September, 1891, and that plaintiff has paid the taxes thereon continuously during all of said times." These findings as to the possession of plaintiff and his title by prescription are amply justified by the evidence. The court further found that ever since the tenth day of September, 1853, the “record title” to the premises "has been and is outstanding in the name of Victor Howell," and also found, as a conclusion of law, that the title of plaintiff to the land since January 21, 1891, has not been a "merchantable title." It also found that defendant has made valuable improvements on the land.

The foregoing is a sufficient statement for an understanding of the main contention of appellant-which is that the evidence and findings show that the respondent has not a good and complete title to the land, and, therefore, cannot maintain this action. His position really is that, under his view of the facts, he may indefinitely keep possession of the land while refusing

to make payment of the purchase money. But this he cannot do. He received possession of the land from respondent under the contract, and can retain possession only by fulfilling his covenants which he therein made. He cannot keep both the land and the purchase money. It is not necessary, therefore, for the purposes of this case, to determine definitely whether or not respondent has a good and sufficient title. If appellant desired to retain the possession which he acquired under the contract he should have complied with his part of it; if he concluded not to comply because the title was not satisfactory to him, he was bound to restore possession to respondent. Whatever cause of action he may have for the purchase money which he paid and for the value of his improvements is another matter; it constitutes no defense to the present action. In Worley v. Nethercott, 91 Cal. 512, 25 Am. St. Rep. 209-we quote from the syllabus, which is a correct summary of the decision-the law upon this point is stated as follows: "A purchaser of land in possession thereof under a contract of sale, by the terms of which the vendor is to give a warranty deed of the property conveying a good and perfect title thereto, cannot, upon the vendor's failure and inability to convey a good and perfect title, retain both the land and the purchase money until a perfect title shall be offered him, but he must pay the purchase price according to the contract, and receive such title as the vendor is able to give if he chooses to retain the possession of the land, or he may rescind the contract, restore the possession to the vendor, and recover the purchase money paid, together with the value of his improvements, after deducting therefrom the fair rental value of the premises; and if he fails and refuses to adopt either course, he is liable to an action of ejectment by the vendor." (See, also, Rhorer v. Bila, 83 Cal. 51; Gates v. McLean, 70 Cal. 42; Walker v. Sedgwick, 8 Cal. 398; Salmon v. Hoffman, 2 Cal. 139; 56 Am. Dec. 322.) On the general merits of the case there is nothing more calling for discussion.

2. A rather novel point is raised as to the verification of the answer to the cross-complaint; the latter having been verified, the appellant moved to strike out the answer to it, and objected to any evidence in support of it, on the ground that it was not verified. The fact was that the answer was verified